Headphones holder with indicia of stored value

ABSTRACT

The present invention is a headset holder coupled with indicia of stored value. The indicia of stored value may be printed or painted on, or otherwise permanently coupled to, the holder itself, or may be included in a stored value or gift card that is attached to the holder. The headset holder and the stored value card may be constructed from a single sheet of plastic; in such embodiments, separation of the stored value card from the headset holder may be supported by a scoreline in the plastic material. The headset holder may have a spool and two grips. One grip may be configured to secure earphones and the other grip may be configured to secure a jack of the headset. The spool may be configured for winding headset wire. The holder may be configured to hold primarily an earbud headset. The grips may extend or protrude from a central portion, or body of the holder. The spool may also extend from the body. The holder may display an image, such as the image of a creature or plant. The image may depict the grips as hands of a displayed creature. The image may depict the spool as the head of the creature.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/043,589, filed Mar. 9, 2011 and hereby incorporated by reference inits entirety, and claims the benefit thereof.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to stored value media. More specifically,it relates to a headphones holder to which indicia of stored value areattached.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A stored value card is a card that represents some kind of value,typically financial value. For example, a stored value card might beredeemable at a particular store for a certain monetary value inmerchandise or services. A stored value card might simply represent anamount of cash, which might be used, for example, as a substitute for acredit or debit card in making any kind of purchase, or to pay off debt.A stored value card might be restricted to a particular set of productsor services; for example, it might represent ten deluxe car washes atsome gas station. A gift card is a particular kind of stored value card,one purchased by a donor as a gift for, e.g., a friend, a relative, oran employee.

A stored value card must typically be activated before it can be used tospend a portion of its stored value. This requirement protects the cardretailer by reducing both the likelihood and the consequences of theftwhile the cards are displayed, and accessible to the public, in a store.The card is activated by an initial scanning at the point of sale at thetime when it is purchased, and, at the same time, an initial amount isassociated with the card.

The initially added funds give the stored value card an initial valuebalance. The stored value represented by the card is reduced when thecard is used to make a purchase. Additional value for the card cantypically be purchased from the card issuer or a card seller. In thecase of a gift card, the donee or the donor might be able to buyadditional stored value.

The balance of value remaining on the stored value card may be stored asan account in an electronic recordkeeping system, or database. In thiscase, the card must contain a device that provides identifying indiciafor the account, such as a bar or UPC code, a magnetic stripe, a radiofrequency identification (RFID) tag, a smart chip, or other identifyingdevice. In general, account indicia, such as a magnetic stripe or abarcode, and may also include a human readable number and a ProductIdentification Number (PIN). A stored value card may include a pluralityof account indicia, such as a barcode, a human readable numbercorresponding to the barcode, and a magnetic stripe.

In the case of a card with a smart chip, or other device where the carditself contains logic in the form of hardware (including possibly aprocessor) and/or software instructions, the stored value balance may bemaintained within the card itself. When a stored value card is redeemed,for example to make a purchase, then the account balance is reduced bythe purchase amount. At a retail establishment, the account balance isusually automatically adjusted at the point of sale by the action ofscanning the card, or manually by a salesperson making a data entry.

A stereo headset is a pair of speakers, or headphones, that, when inoperation, are worn close to a user's ears. A monaural headset may havea single headphone worn on one ear. The headphones include means forcommunicating from a source, such as a personal audio device, to feedaudio through the speakers. Examples of personal audio devices includehandheld electronics devices such as portable music players and cellphones; computers; portable video/movie players; recorders; dictationmachines, and in-home stereo and television systems. Although thisdocument deals primarily with wired communication, headphones may alsobe wireless. In a wired headset, wires typically connect the speakers toa connector or jack. The jacks can have a variety of configurations,with different standards for different purposes. A jack having a 3.5 mmdiameter is a standard used for portable electronic devices, such ascell phones and portable music players, and laptop computers.

A headset also includes means for holding the speakers close to theuser's ears. In some headsets, a metal or plastic band straddles theuser's head, with the length and/or tension in the band keepingearmuff-style headphones in place. Earbuds, or earphones, are smallheadphones that are placed inside the user's ear canal. An earbud may beheld in place simply by pressure from the ear chamber itself, or may beattached to a holder or brace that goes partially around the ear forthis purpose. An earbud headset is lightweight, compact, and relativelyinexpensive. Portable music players and cell phones are often packagedfor sale together with a compatible earbud headset.

Typically, earbud headset wiring will be shaped like the letter ‘Y’. Thejack will terminate a single wire of the headset, corresponding to thelower portion of the Y. To provide specificity, we will refer to thissingle wire is the “jack wire” of the headset. At some junction point,the single wire will fork into a two wires, with a respective earbudterminating each of the wires in the pair. We will refer to this pair ofwires as the “earbud wires” of an earbud headset.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The wires of some headsets, particularly earbud headphone sets, areflexible, long, and narrow in diameter, so they may be relatively easyto tangle and knot. A headset holder is a device around which the wiresof a headset can be wrapped to keep the parts of the headset organizedand accessible, and the wires free from tangles, knots, and snags, whilethe headset is not in use.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention include a headset holder thatincludes two grips and a spool. A spool is a structure about which awire can be wound. In some such embodiments, earbuds of an earbudheadset may be held by one grip, the jack may be held by the other grip,and the bulk of the wire may be wrapped around the spool.

In some embodiments, a headset holder may be constructed from anessentially flat sheet of material. The material might be any material,or combination of materials, that is relatively stiff, for example,plastic, cardboard, or metal. In some cases, such a headset holder mightbe described as having a left side, a right side, a top, and a bottom,the geometry of the holder forming a two dimensional (2D) shape. Anextremity, extension, or projection at the top or bottom of the shape(given some orientation that is intuitive given the visual or functionalattributes of the shape) might serve as a spool. A projection extendingfrom a side of the shape might serve as a grip. The shape might haveextremities on each side, each serving as a grip. A grip may have theshape generally of the letter ‘U’ or the letter ‘L’. The inventionencompasses many forms of grips, including all types of structures thatcan hold a wire, a jack, or a headphone.

In some embodiments, the shape may be the shape of a human, an animal, amonster, or a plant. In such embodiments, an extremity terminating in agrip may resemble a feature associated with the shape, such as a hand,claw, paw, or pair of tree limbs. The spool may resemble the head orlegs of a monster, creature, or person, the trunk of a tree, the stalkof a plant, or extremity of any type of solid object whether natural orhuman-devised.

The surface of a 2D headset holder may display an image. The image mayshow a monster, a human, an animal, or a plant. The image may beincorporated onto or into the surface in any way, such as printing,painting. etching, inscribing, imaging (e.g., by drop on demandtechnology), inkjet, heat lamination, or by combining parts of differentshapes and/or colors. The displayed image and the shape of the holdermay correspond, so that, for example, the image displays a head on anextremity that resembles a head at the top of the holder, or legs on oneor more extremities at the bottom of the holder; or images of armsextending from the left and right sides of the holder, with gripsperhaps having images that appear like hands.

The combination of a headset holder with a gift card might suggest to arecipient that the gift card be used to purchase a particular type ofgift. For example, the donor might want to suggest the purchase of apersonal music player, that could be used with the headset.

Account indicia may be coupled to, or integrated into, a headset holderin a variety of ways. If the headset holder has a 2D shape, then itmight be attached directly to a stored value card. The stored value cardmay be coplanar with the holder shape. If the holder and stored valuecard are constructed from a single sheet of material, then ascoreline—an indentation or perforation in the material—may define aboundary between the holder and the card. Bending the card along theboundary relative to the holder may separate the card from the holder. Abroad range of materials are available, including plastic, polyvinylchloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), TESLIN®, styrene,polylactide (biodegradable corn plastic), or paperboard, or cardboard.

Account indicia may also be integrated into the holder itself by, forexample, printing, painting, or incorporation of a plaque or otherobject into or onto the holder, thereby combining the functionality ofthe headset holder with all the advantages of a stored value card. Ingeneral, a headset holder with stored value account indicia can have allthe capabilities and features of the holder itself.

Identifying indicia for the account may be permanently coupled directlyto the holder, for example on an external surface. When we say that anaccount indicium is “permanently coupled” to a headset holder, we meanthat the holder is designed to make it difficult for a user to removethe account indicium. For example, the indicium might be printed orpainted directly onto the holder. The account indicia might be printedon a plastic or metal plaque. Such plaque or other object containing asurface into which the indicia is printed, embedded, or integrated,might be permanently coupled by glue, by welding, by screws or bolts, orby stitching with thread or other fiber, depending on the type ofholder.

Some embodiments may include an image that displays a trademark, logo orcontact information on a headset holder, which is combined with accountindicia, which could be a useful advertising tool.

Embodiments of the invention include a method, comprising the steps of:during a transaction, sensing electronically an account indicium coupledto a headset holder; using a processing system, associating the accountindicium with information, stored in tangible electronic storage,regarding an account; and reading a stored value balance of the account,or, in an amount corresponding to the transaction, initializing,raising, or lowering the stored value balance.

Embodiments of the invention include an account maintenance system,comprising: a set of software instructions stored in tangible storage; astored value balance, stored in tangible storage, the stored valuebalance identified by an account identifier; and processing hardwarethat (i) receives a transaction request and the account identifierthrough a communication system, the account identifier having beenobtained by accessing account indicia permanently coupled to a headsetholder, (ii) retrieves and executes the software instructions, and (iii)updates the stored value balance identified by the account identifierconsistently with the transaction request.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of an exemplary headset holder with stored valueaccount indicia.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of an exemplary headset holder with stored valueaccount indicia.

FIG. 3 is a front view of an exemplary headset holder with stored valueaccount indicia, depicted holding an earbud headset.

FIG. 4 is a rear view of an exemplary headset holder with stored valueaccount indicia, depicted holding an earbud headset.

FIG. 5 a is an exemplary slotted grip for holding wires in a headsetholder with stored value account indicia.

FIG. 5 b is an exemplary slit grip for holding wires in a headset holderwith stored value account indicia.

FIG. 5 c is an exemplary grip, which uses hook and loop technology, forholding wires in a headset holder with stored value account indicia.

FIG. 5 d shows an elastic band that might be used in a headset grip.

FIG. 5 e shows a cord that might be used in a headset grip.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Illustrative embodiments of the invention are described by the drawingsand the accompanying text below. A person having skill in the art willrecognize that many other embodiments and variations are possible withinthe scope of the invention that couples indicia of stored value with aholder for a headset.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are front and rear views of a headset holder with storedvalue account indicia 100. In this embodiment, a headset holder 110 anda stored value card 150 are fabricated from a single sheet of plastic.The headset holder 110 resembles a creature or monster-person. Betweenthe headset holder 110 and the stored value card 150 is an indentation190 or a series of perforations in the plastic sheet, making the storedvalue card 150 separable from the headset holder 110.

The illustrated headset holder 110 includes a spool 111 and two grips112. Other than being flat, the spool 111 in this embodiment appearssimilar to a spool used to hold thread for sewing. The top of this spoolis capped with a decorative flange 114. The body 116, or central portion116 of the creature headset holder 110 serves as a flange workalike forholding wire 301 of a headset 300, in this case an earbud headset 333.

The grips 112 in this embodiment are extremities 115 or extensions 115from the body 116 of the headset holder 110, here limbs or members of acreature. The grips 112 are wire-grips, in other words, grips 112 thatare configured for holding wires 301 of the headset 300. In this case,the grips 112 are simple U-shaped indentations in the extremities 115.

In this embodiment, an image 113 is printed on the headset holder 110,namely, a caricature of a monster. The image 113 represents arms of themonster on the extremities 115 that include the grips 112. The head ofthe monster in the image 113 coincides with the spool 111, which isanother extremity 115 of the body 116. The legs 117 are extremities 115of the monster that form its base and connect the headset holder 110 tothe stored value card 150 along indentation 190.

In some circumstances, a person or organization might want to give aheadset holder with stored value account indicia 100 as a form ofadvertising, for example: as a reward to loyal customers; as a way ofincreasing awareness of a company's name and contact information toclients or client prospects; or as an incentive to visit a store, or topurchase a particular item. In such cases, the headset holder withstored value account indicia 100 might display a company logo or icon,such as the advertising material 153 shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. Othercharacteristics of the headset holder 110 or stored value card 150 mightalso serve to promote a brand. For example, the headset holder 110 inFIG. 3 might be colored yellow, in accord with trademarks of BBYSolutions, Inc. Thus, the color might call a trademarked symbol to mindfor some observers of the headset holder 110 or stored value card 150.

The headset holder with stored value account indicia 100 in FIG. 1 hasattributes 151 that may suggest a company brand, and indeed may be atrademark. In this case, the corners of the stored value card 150 havescallop-shaped cutouts. Attributes 151 such as color, shape, and printedmatter may serve this purpose, whether incorporated with the headsetholder 110, the stored value card 150, or both. The illustrated storedvalue card 150 also has advertising material 153 in the form of a logo152.

FIG. 2 is the rear view of the headset holder with stored value accountindicia 100 shown in FIG. 1. The stored value card 150 contains anaccount indicium 200 of the stored value account. In this case, theaccount indicium 200 is a magnetic stripe 201, but other types ofaccount indicia 200, such as a barcode 400 or an RFID tag, might beused. A given headset holder with stored value account indicia 100 mayhave just one account indicium 200, or might have two or more of them.

FIG. 3 is the front view of a headset holder with stored value accountindicia 100, whose headset holder 110 is similar to the one shown inFIG. 1. In this case, the headset holder 110 is shown holding a headset300, in particular, an earbud headset 333. The earbud headset 333includes a jack 310 and a pair of earbuds 320. The jack 310 is connectedto the earbuds 320 by wire 301 that has a Y-shape. The Y-shape wire 301includes a jack wire 311 and two earbud wires 321, joined at a junction410. The jack 310 and jack wire 311 are secured by one grip 112. Thepairs of earbuds 320 and earbud wires 321 are secured by the other grip112. Around the spool 111, wire 301 (a combination of jack wire 311 andearbud wire 321) is wrapped. Note that, in this embodiment, the flange114 at the top of this headset holder 110 plays no role in holding thewire 301, being merely decorative. FIG. 3 shows that advertisingmaterial 153, in this case a logo 152, may be included in the headsetholder 110.

FIG. 4 is the rear view of a headset holder with stored value accountindicia 100, similar to that shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. However, in thiscase, the top flange 114 on the spool 111 has been removed to emphasizethat it is nonfunctional. Note that the spool 111 might be tapered, withthe bottom of the spool 111 being narrower than the top, to assist inkeeping the wrapped wire 301 in place. In this embodiment, an accountindicium 200 is incorporated directly into the headset holder 110itself, in this case a barcode 400. A separable stored value card 150 isunnecessary in this embodiment, where the account indicia 200 ispermanently coupled to the headset holder 110 itself.

An account indicium 200 associates the headset holder with stored valueaccount indicia 100 with a particular account identifier 650, whichidentifies a unique account. Account information may be maintained in anaccount maintenance system 600, as later described in connection withFIGS. 6 and 7.

Grips 112 of a headset holder 110 may have a many forms. FIG. 5 a-5 cshow a few exemplary structures, but many others are possible. FIG. 5 aillustrates a 2D grip 112, namely a slot grip 500, that includes a slot501. Wire 301 can be pulled through the slot 501, and secured within achamber 502. The slot grip 500 requires some flexibility in surroundingplastic to get the wire 301 into and out from the chamber 502. FIG. 5 bis another 2D grip 112, namely, a slit grip 510, containing a slit.

The account indicia 200 allow the headset holder with stored valueaccount indicia 100 to be scanned, the scanning possibly accomplishingseveral purposes. An initial scan by a POS system of the headset holderwith stored value account indicia 100 may establish an initial balance.A particular headset holder with stored value account indicia 100 mighthave a fixed initial balance, or the user (e.g., a donor or donee) mightbe free to specify and purchase an initial balance, which might beentered by a salesperson at POS into the account maintenance system 600.The initial scan might also activate the account, so that the accountmaintenance system 600 will allow future purchases of goods or servicesor other expenditures to be made against the stored value. The initialscan might also update inventory data pertaining to this or a similarheadset holder with stored value account indicia 100, and updatetransactional data pertaining to the purchase and activation. Subsequentscans can be used to reduce the stored value to make purchases orexpenditures. In some embodiments, additional stored value can bepurchased, which typically would also involve scanning the headsetholder with stored value account indicia 100.

FIG. 5 c illustrates a headset holder 110 that utilizes hook and loop520 technology to hold wire 301. A similar approach could be used tosecure a pair of wires 301, or to hold a jack 310 or earbuds 320directly. An outer segment 522 might contain hooks on its interiorsurface, and an inner segment 521 might contain loops on its outersurface, or conversely. Many other types of grips 112, such as a grip112 that incorporates an elastic band 530 or cord 531, that secureswires, jack or headphones, are also within the scope of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic showing an exemplary account maintenance system600 for maintaining a stored value balance associated with a headsetholder with stored value account indicia 100. The account maintenancesystem 600 includes processing hardware 601 that executes logicrepresented in hardware and/or software. The processing hardware 601might include a hardware processor 602, such as the kind of processor602 that might be included in a computer or a smart cell phone. Some orall of the functionality of the account maintenance system 600 might beperformed by the headset holder with stored value account indicia 100itself, through a smart chip or an internal processing system.

A smart chip, such as an RFID tag, might draw power from a battery orexternal source. Preferably, it will contain a logic in the form ofhardware/and or software instructions, that would draw power from ascanner or reader device, so that account information and stored valuebalance might be changed within the headset holder with stored valueaccount indicia 100 itself.

The account maintenance system 600 might be a processing system—by a“processing system” we mean one or more devices having processors 602,such as computers, possibly communicating over one or more networks orany other electronic communications systems, and utilizing one or morestorage devices and peripheral devices, possibly under the management ofone or more persons or entities, and controlled by various logical unitssuch as hardware and software programs. The logic might be wholly orpartially in the form of software instructions 612, which might bestored in some form of tangible storage 610, and retrieved by theprocessing hardware 601 as needed. The tangible storage 610 might be ahard drive, an optical disk, a memory card, or any other volatile ornon-volatile hardware device that can retain information in electronicform.

A stored value balance 611 associated with the headset holder withstored value account indicia 100 will also be stored in tangible storage610, which might be within the same device or a different device fromthe device(s) containing the software instructions 612. The stored valuebalance 611 might be stored in a database, file, or any otherinformation storage representations. If the stored value balance 611 ismaintained in a database, an account identifier 650 might be used toassociate the correct stored value balance 611 with this particularheadset holder with stored value account indicia 100.

In the example shown in FIG. 6, a POS system 630 includes a scanner 631.A transaction (e.g., report account balance; purchase an item; increaseaccount balance) involving the headset holder with stored value accountindicia 100 can be performed by scanning the account indicium 200 thatis permanently coupled to the headset holder with stored value accountindicia 100. In this example, an account identifier 650 is read by thescanner 631 and provided to the POS system 630. The POS system 630transmits a transaction request 651 for the appropriate transaction,along with the account identifier 650 to the account maintenance system600. The account maintenance system 600 handles the transaction byexecuting software instructions 612 on the processor 602, which accessesthe stored value balance 611, and modifies the balance accordingly ifnecessary. A transaction response 652 is then returned by the accountmaintenance system 600 to the POS system 630, showing the current,possibly updated, stored value balance 611.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the invention. Afterthe start 700, some functionality of a type of headset holder withstored value account indicia 100 is advertised 710. The “type” might be,for example, a particular manufacturer, vendor, brand, model, or SKU ofthe headset holder with stored value account indicia 100. Thefunctionality might be any feature of the headset holder with storedvalue account indicia 100, such as the combination of a headset holder110 and stored value capability. As described previously, a headsetholder with stored value account indicia 100 integrates stored valuefunctionality into a headset holder 110. The advertising might be by anymethod employed by a seller of the type of headset holder with storedvalue account indicia 100; for example, a newspaper advertisement;online publication of products and their capabilities; an in-storedisplay of a headset holder with stored value account indicia 100 forsale; or a demonstration by a salesperson of a headset holder withstored value account indicia 100 to a customer. Note that someembodiments of the methods of the invention do not include thisadvertising step.

An account identifier 650 contained in account indicia 200, printed on,or otherwise permanently integrated into, the surface of the headsetholder with stored value account indicia 100, is sensed 730electronically during a transaction. For example, the transaction mightbe to read the stored value balance associated with the headset holderwith stored value account indicia 100; initialization or activation ofthe stored value in the headset holder with stored value account indicia100; purchase of the headset holder with stored value account indicia100; purchase of goods or services, or payment of debt, using theheadset holder with stored value account indicia 100; other expenditureof value from the headset holder with stored value account indicia 100;increase in the stored value of the headset holder with stored valueaccount indicia 100; or any other transaction involving scanning theheadset holder with stored value account indicia 100. Sensing mightinvolve any kind of equipment, such as a handheld device or a POSscanner. Sensing might use any technology, such as radio frequencies,laser, charge-coupled device (CCD) technology, Contact Image Sensor(CIS) technology, photomultiplier tube technology, photographicscanning, or 3D scanning technology. Sensing might be performed activelyby a person, or passively by an automated sensing device such as an RFIDsensor. The person might be anyone, such as an employee of a store thatis selling the headset holder with stored value account indicia 100,applying the stored value to a purchase, or adding stored value to theheadset holder with stored value account indicia 100; it might be aheadset holder with stored value account indicia 100 purchaser, giver,recipient, or owner. The account identifier 650 will usually be asequence of letters and/or numerals, but it could be any combination ofsymbols that might uniquely identify an account. The account indicium200 might be a magnetic strip, a barcode 400, a smart chip, a RFID tag,or any other type of device from which a sensor might sense or read anaccount identifier 650. “Electronically” merely implies that some aspectof the sensing involves electricity.

Using a processing system (defined broadly, as described previously),the account identifier is associated 740 with information stored intangible electronic storage regarding an account. Note that the accountmay not exist in the storage prior to the transaction. For example, uponactivation of a headset holder with stored value account indicia 100,data regarding an account may be initialized within the storage 610, butassociation will be performed nevertheless between the account indicium200 and the new account. A stored value balance 611 of the account isread from storage 610, or, in an amount corresponding to thetransaction, initialized, raised, or lowered 750. For example, thestored value balance 611 might be initialized at when a donor purchasesa headset holder with stored value account indicia 100 as a gift and theheadset holder with stored value account indicia 100 is activated. Thestored value balance 611 might be lowered when a recipient of a giftheadset holder with stored value account indicia 100 uses the headsetholder with stored value account indicia 100 to make a purchase. Thestored value balance 611 might be increased upon activation, if theaccount already exists in storage 610 with a zero balance. This mightalso be regarded as initialization of the stored value balance 611. Thestored value balance 611 might also be increased, for example, by arecipient of a gift headset holder with stored value account indicia 100(or by the original giver or anyone else) by a purchase of additionalstored value. The process ends 760. In other embodiments, the storedvalue balance 611 is retrieved upon sensing.

Of course, many variations of the above embodiments are possible withinthe scope of the invention. For example, the illustrative embodimentsherein have focused on a 2D holder for earbud headphones. All otherforms of headsets and headset holders, coupled to an indicium of storedvalue, are within the scope of the invention. The present invention is,therefore, not limited to all the above details, as modifications andvariations may be made without departing from the intent or scope of theinvention. Consequently, the invention should be limited only by thefollowing claims and equivalent constructions.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus, comprising: a) a headset holderthat includes a first grip, which, using an elastic band or a cord,holds a wire securely when the headset holder is holding a headset; andb) an account indicium, coupled to the headset holder, that correspondsto a stored value account.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein theaccount indicium is on a stored value card that is detachable from theheadset holder.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the headset holderand stored value card are fabricated from a single sheet of material. 4.The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the headset holder and stored valuecard are separable from each other along a scoreline in the material. 5.The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the headset holder includes a secondgrip.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the headset holder contains acentral portion, a first extremity of the central portion that includesthe first grip, and a second extremity of the central portion thatincludes the second grip.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein theheadset holder further contains a spool that is included in a thirdextremity of the central portion.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7, furthercomprising: c) an earbud headset, having a jack and jack wire that aresecured by the first grip, a pair of earbud wires and a pair of earbudsthat are secured by the second grip, and wire wrapped around the spool.9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the surface of the headset holderdisplays an image of a creature, and wherein the first and second gripsare represented by the image as hands, claws, or paws of the creature.10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the account indicium ispermanently coupled to the headset holder.
 11. The apparatus of claim10, wherein the account indicium is permanently coupled to the headsetholder by printing, painting, drop-on-demand, inkjet, or heatlamination.
 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the account indiciumis a magnetic stripe, a bar code, or an RFID tag.
 13. A headset holder,comprising: a) a central portion; b) a first grip that is included in afirst extension from the central portion, wherein the first grip willhold a wire securely, using an elastic band, a cord, a slot, a slit, ora hook and loop fastener, when the headset holder is holding a headset;c) a second grip that is included in a second extension from the centralportion, wherein the second grip will hold a wire securely when theheadset holder is holding a headset; d) a spool that is included in athird extension from the central portion; and e) an image, which isprinted on the headset holder, that associates the first and secondgrips each with a respective hand, paw, or claw of a creature.
 14. Theheadset holder of claim 13, wherein the image associates the spool witha head of the creature.
 15. The headset holder of claim 13, furthercomprising: f) an earbud headset, including a jack that is secured bythe first grip, a pair of earbuds that is secured by the second grip,and wire that is secured by the spool.
 16. The headset holder of claim13, further comprising: f) indicia of stored value coupled to theholder.